A dozen NCP contenders active in polls

Khulna Bureau :

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has intensified its election campaign in Khulna ahead of the upcoming national elections. The party’s central and local leadership are already preparing themselves as candidates in various constituencies, although most of the candidates are new faces in the election field. However, despite their young age, their enthusiasm, organizational skills and role in local development are hopeful that they will become potential candidates.
About a dozen NCP leaders are preparing for the national elections in Khulna. Along with preparing for the elections in their respective constituencies, they are also lobbying hard at the center. 

Wahiduzzaman, the southern organizer of the NCP in Khulna-1 constituency, has already made his activities visible in the Dakop and Batiaghata regions. His role in the development of mosques, madrasas and roads has been able to attract the attention of the locals.
During the ongoing Durga Puja, he visited more than a hundred temples in different areas and exchanged greetings with followers of traditional religion. Besides, the party’s joint chief coordinator Bhimpalli David Raju and Batiaghata Upazila NCP chief coordinator Ad Prashant Kumar Halder may seek nomination for this seat. He is the former law secretary of the Khulna district branch of the Jatiya Party.
The party’s Khulna divisional organizing secretary Faridul Haque has made election preparations for the Khulna-2 constituency. This central leader of the NCP is in regular contact with local leaders and activists. It is known that former central leader of the Jatiya Party Ad Masudur Rahman may also seek nomination for this seat.
SM Arifur Rahman Mithu is being known as the heavyweight candidate of the NCP for Khulna-3 constituency. He has a long-standing relationship with students against discrimination. This former BNP leader has his own strong circle in the constituency Khalishpur, Daulatpur and Khanjahan Ali thana areas. He was present in almost all the party’s programs including iftar parties, workers’ gatherings, and marches. Moreover, it is known that the Khulna district and metropolitan NCP offices have been built on his donated land.
Hafez Maulana Mahmudul Hasan Faizullah, the chief coordinator of the district NCP, may contest for the NCP in the Khulna-4 constituency. Moreover, former Jatiya Party leader Molla Shawkat Hossain Babul and district NCP leader Mujahidul Islam are in discussion. In addition, a former BNP leader is also known to contest for the party in this constituency.
Tanzil Mahmud, the central joint convener of the NCP, may contest for the NCP in the Khulna-5 constituency. He has already become active in his constituencies of Phultala and Dumuria. His banners and festoons are being seen at various festivals. Moreover, he is in regular contact with local leaders and activists.
Sajidul Islam Bappi, the former central coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and district member secretary, may contest for the NCP in the Khulna-6 constituency. Bappi’s village is in Paikgachha upazila. Moreover, he has a separate support group in the Koyra-Paikgacha region due to his long tenure as the president of the Student Rights Council.
During the ongoing Durga Puja, he has also sent gifts to various temples in the Paikgachha-Koyra region. Earlier, last year, he had sent a huge relief convoy to the flood victims in Paikgachha and distributed it for 2 weeks. He has already come into discussion about his plan to improve the quality of life of the people of this region by establishing a tourist center, opening an international waterway and building a dockyard. He is regularly visiting the area and checking up on the leaders and activists.
Bappi has a special popularity and acceptance among the youth in Khulna’s NCP politics. However, there are also allegations against him of providing banned Awami League shelters in his area to increase his vote bank. In addition, another anti-discrimination leader, Jahangirnagar University convener Arifuzzaman Ujjwal, may also seek nomination from this seat.
Although he contested and lost in the recently concluded JACSU elections, he is in regular contact with local leaders and activists. Moreover, NCP Khulna district joint coordinator Ad Maftun Ahmed may seek nomination for this seat. Political analysts believe that this activity of NCP in Khulna will add a new dimension to the electoral field. Although the party is new, local observers have expressed the opinion that they can surprise in the upcoming elections with their young and dynamic leadership.